Ergonomics

Ergonomics -- the applied
science of equipment and workplace design
intended to maximize productivity by reducing
operator fatigue and discomfort -- has
played a considerable role in the reduction of
injury and illness rates. Since the development
of Voluntary Ergonomic
Guidelines for the Meat Packing
Industry in 1990, the meat and poultry industry
has seen significant reductions in injury and
illness rates.

Essential elements of these
guidelines include:

An analysis of the workplace,

Hazard prevention and
control,

Medical management; and,

Training and education.

The key to these guidelines,
which have been called a model to other
industries, is the flexibility and specificity
to the meat and poultry industry. The goals
were designed to improve ergonomics and to
prevent the occurrence of Cumulative Trauma
Disorders (CTDs) in the work place. CTDs are
caused by repetitive motions over a long
period, especially when working in awkward
positions or exerting a lot of force.

Much of the success of
ergonomics can also be attributed to the
cooperation among competitors to share
information and design techniques in order to
improve working conditions since worker safety
issues were declared "non-competitive" by the
industry.